Hinewai Reflections: The Artworks of Hugh Wilson

Apart from a few forays overseas, Hugh Wilson has spent his life on Aotearoa New Zealand's South Island/Te Wai Pounamu, absorbing the landscape, language, vegetation and wildlife of his much-loved native motu.

For the second half of this long life he has lived on Hinewai Reserve, in the south-east corner of Banks Peninsula, as kaitiaki of the now 1600 rewilding hectares of natural ecological restoration there. Over the years he has loved sharing what knowledge he has gleaned, partly face to face with visitors to Hinewai, partly through public talks and walks, and partly with numerous publications illustrated with his pen and pencil drawings.

Around the time of his eightieth birthday, two of his old climbing mates suggested he gather together a selection of what he refers to as his doodlings to be published as a book. This is the result. Hugh imagines that browsing through this book might be a bit like accompanying him on a ramble through his beloved landscapes, fielding facts and anecdotes about some of the plants, birds and other surrounding wonders, perhaps alerting you to details you might otherwise have missed.